Maintenance cost management device and user device

ABSTRACT

A user of devices ( 1 ) to ( 3 ) pays a predetermined accumulated fee to a device maker through a finance company every month. For each device of each user, a server (B) of the maker converts the sum of the accumulative fee into maintenance points and stores them in a point management table ( 6 ). After maintenance, the server (B) subtracts the points corresponding to the maintenance charge from the maintenance points to settle the maintenance cost. Service points are given according to an operation record sent from the devices ( 1 ) to ( 3 ) through a communications network ( 5 ) and a discount is given corresponding to the service points when the maintenance cost is settled.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to maintenance cost managementsystems, which are systems that are configured through a communicationsnetwork such as the Internet, and are used in order to settle accountsfor device maintenance costs between a user of a device or the like, anda vendor who performs the maintenance for that device.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Along with the advancement of telecommunications technologies inrecent years, it has become possible to provide the various types ofdevices, such as measuring devices, with a communication function, andto perform centralized management of data with remote operations andexternal commuters.

[0003] As with ordinary types of devices, devices that have acommunication function also require repairs when they break down andreplacements for consumables. In order to keep such devices in a stablecondition, regular checkups and maintenance also are required. For thesereasons, it is common for device makers and users to conclude amaintenance agreement before delivery of the device to the user, andwhen the device breaks down, or at predetermined times, the makerdispatches maintenance staff to the user, and maintenance is performedon the device within the scope of the agreement. Conventionally, it iscommon for the maker to bill the user for costs such as the labor andreplacement parts required at the time of maintenance each timemaintenance is performed.

[0004] However, in cases in which the repairs are for large-scaledevices, for example, the billed maintenance costs sometimes becomeexpensive beyond the expectations of the user, resulting in the problemthat the user feels a sense of burden. Also, during regular maintenance,when it turns out that replacement parts are necessary, the costs ofthese replacement parts become unforeseen expenditures to the user, thusgiving the same sense of burden.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0005] In order to solve the above-described problems, it is an objectof the present invention to provide a maintenance cost management systemthat can reduce a user's sense of burden for paying maintenance costs byletting the user accumulate maintenance costs, which the maker manages.

[0006] In order to achieve this object, the maintenance cost managementdevice of the present invention is provided with a point storage portionthat stores a user's maintenance points for a device that receivesmaintenance. An accumulative fee paid regularly by the device user isconverted to points, and added to the device user's maintenance pointsstored in the point storage portion. After maintenance has beenperformed, a maintenance cost is settled by subtracting a number ofpoints corresponding to the maintenance cost from the maintenance pointsin the point storage portion.

[0007] In this configuration, with the device user accumulatingcomparatively small amounts, every month for example, maintenance pointsare cumulated in the maintenance cost management device. And aftermaintenance is received, the maintenance cost is settled by deductingpoints corresponding to the maintenance cost from the maintenancepoints. In this way, a maintenance cost management device can beprovided that makes it possible to reduce the user's sense of burden forpaying maintenance costs. Moreover, by using this device, as the deviceuser unknowingly cumulates points, the sense of good value for money isextremely high compared to a situation in which a user must accumulatepoints voluntarily, and this leads to promoting users to enter intomaintenance agreements.

[0008] In the maintenance cost management device, it is preferable that,for each device of each user, the point storage portion is provided withan area that stores the maintenance points. This makes it possible forthe business entity that performs maintenance to manage maintenancecosts per device for the user.

[0009] In the maintenance cost management device, it is preferable thatthe point storage portion is further provided with a service pointstorage area that stores service points given in response to acts on theside of the device user side, and that the maintenance cost is settledtaking into account the service points.

[0010] In this way, service points can be given, for example, inresponse to acts on the side of the user such as device usage and thepurchase of parts. By taking these into account during settlement, it ispossible to give preferential treatment, for example, to users who havea high level of device usage, or users who have made large-sumpurchases, thus improving service to the user. On the other hand, byestablishing service points, the provider of the device also has theadvantages of being able to raise the frequency of the user's usage ofthe device, and being able to give an incentive to continue to use themaker's devices.

[0011] Furthermore, it is preferable that taking into account theservice points when settling maintenance costs means adding the servicepoints to the maintenance points. It is also preferable that the pointssubtracted from the maintenance points are calculated by discounting fora percentage corresponding to the service points. In essence, the userreceives a discount for maintenance costs with either method, thusleading to improved service to the user. It should be noted that thesemethods can be used together.

[0012] Furthermore, in the maintenance cost management device, it ispreferable that an operation record of a device user's device isreceived from that device via a communications network, and pointscalculated on the basis of the received operation record are added tothe device user's service points stored in the point storage portion.

[0013] With this, the conditions of the user's usage of a device or thelike can be reflected accurately and quickly in the service points, asit is possible to receive, as appropriate, the operation record of adevice subject to maintenance via a communications network such as theInternet for example, and to establish service points based on theoperation record. It should be noted that it is preferable that theoperation record includes data related to the consumption volume ofconsumables for that device.

[0014] On the other hand, a user device that is connected via acommunications network to the maintenance cost management device isprovided with an operation record storage portion that stores anoperation record, and a transmission portion that sends the operationrecord to the maintenance cost management device via the communicationsnetwork. Furthermore, it is preferable that the operation recordincludes data related to the device's consumption volume of consumables.

[0015] Moreover, a program storage medium on which a program of thepresent invention is stored executes processes of converting anaccumulative fee paid regularly by a device user into points, adding thepoints to the device user's maintenance points in a point storageportion storing the device user's maintenance points, and settling amaintenance cost after maintenance has been performed by subtractingpoints from the maintenance points in the point storage portion inaccordance with the maintenance cost.

[0016] The maintenance cost management device of the present inventioncan be realized by having the program storage medium read by a computerand operated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

[0017]FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the general configuration of amaintenance cost management system according to an embodiment of thepresent invention.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0018] Referring to the accompanying drawing, the following is anexplanation of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the maintenance cost management system inthis embodiment is made up of a device user's system A, a device maker'sserver B (maintenance cost management device), and a finance company'sserver C, which are interconnected by a communications network 5 such asthe Internet.

[0020] Devices 1 to 3 in the user's system A have been purchased fromthe device maker, and are subject to maintenance by the device maker.The devices 1 to 3 are connected over a LAN or the like within theuser's system A to a computer 4. Furthermore, the devices 1 to 3 have acommunication function (not shown in the diagram), and communicate datato the maker's server B via the communications network 5. Each user isgiven a unique customer ID by the maker. Furthermore, each device isalso given a unique device ID by the maker prior to delivery.

[0021] A maintenance agreement is concluded between the user and themaker for each of the devices 1 to 3. The maintenance agreementstipulates that the user accumulates a predetermined amount ofmaintenance costs each month for each of the devices 1 to 3. As shown inthe diagram, the accumulative fee for each device is stored incorrespondence with the device ID of each device in a table 4 aformanagement of accumulative fees that is provided in the computer 4 ofthe user's system A.

[0022] On a predetermined day of each month, the user pays theaccumulative fee to the maker via a finance company. Furthermore, asshown in the diagram, based on the data sent by the computer 4, thecharges owed to the maker are stored as a customer ID, a device ID, andan accumulative fee in a payment table 7 of the finance company's serverC, and on the payment day of each month these data are sent by theserver C to the maker's server B.

[0023] As shown in the diagram, the maker's server B is provided with apoint management table 6. The point management table 6 is provided inorder to settle the user's maintenance costs and the like using points.For each device of each customer, the point management table 6 recordsthe sum of the maintenance points converted each month from theaccumulative fee, and the sum of the service points that are conferredin response to acts on the side of the user such as device usage and thepurchase of parts, etc.

[0024] Maintenance points are given by converting into points themonthly accumulative fee, which is paid from the user to the maker viathe finance company after delivery of the device, taking for example 100yen as one point, and accumulating them for each device of eachcustomer. It should be noted that it is also possible to providedifferences between the point conversion ratios for each device model.When the maker performs chargeable maintenance for the user, the makersettles the maintenance costs by subtracting points for the maintenancecosts from the maintenance points listed in the point management table 6for that device of that user.

[0025] On the other hand, it is possible to give service points when sochosen by agreement between the maker and the user, as in the followingcases for example.

[0026] (1) If the device uses consumables, and these consumables areprovided for a fee by the maker, service points may be given incorrespondence to the amount of consumption of consumables. It should benoted that the amount of consumption can be calculated by the quantityof consumables used, or it can be calculated by the monetary worth ofpurchased consumables. It should also be noted that “consumables”includes such items as the reagents used in measurement devices, forexample.

[0027] (2) As in case (1) above, service points may be given incorrespondence to the operation counts of a device (for example, thenumber of measurements or the like).

[0028] For this reason, operation records are stored in memories 1 a to3 ainside the devices 1 to 3, so that service points can be calculated.For example, in the above case (1), the consumption of consumables canbe stored as operation records in the memories 1 a to 3 a, and therecords can be updated in the memories 1 a to 3 a for each usage of aconsumable. Also, in the above case (2), the device operation counts canbe stored as operation records in the memories 1 a to 3 a, and therecords can be updated in the memories 1 a to 3 a each time the devicesperform an operation.

[0029] Furthermore, at predetermined intervals or at an appropriatetime, the data of the operation records in the memories 1 a to 3 a aresent together with the user's customer ID and the corresponding deviceIDs from the devices 1 to 3 via the communications network 5 to themaker's server B. When the server B receives the data of the operationrecords, it converts the received operation records into service points,and adds the points to the service points of those devices for that userin the point management table 6.

[0030] In this way, the cumulated service points for each device of eachuser can be added to the maintenance points, for example, after apredetermined period has elapsed, or when a predetermined number ofpoints has been reached. Furthermore, it is also possible to applydiscounts to maintenance charges or to the cost of consumables incorrespondence to the number of service points, or to the cost of a newpurchase of that device for that user. In this case, it should be agreedin advance that the rate of the discount will be raised stepwise as thenumber of points increases.

[0031] It should be noted that, other than the above cases (1) and (2),service points may be applicable for parts and services for which thereis no agreement for settlement by maintenance points. In this case, theuser pays the maker for the cost of those parts or services by cash orcheck, or via the finance company, and the maker adds service points incorrespondence to those costs to the service points of that device ofthat user.

[0032] Furthermore, it is also possible to add bonus points to themaintenance points in accordance with the user's track record of usage.For example, it is conceivable that in order to give preferentialtreatment to a user who has used a device continuously over a longperiod, extra points are given for points after a certain period haselapsed since they have been accumulated, in accordance with thatperiod. This method also leads to giving preferential treatment to userswho have few device breakdowns. There are also various other examples ofways in which bonus points can be added, such as (1) for users whopurchase large volumes of reagents and other consumables, (2) for userswho install large numbers of the maker's devices, and (3) for userswhose device does not break down for at least a certain period.

[0033] The way of giving bonus points is discretionary. For example, apredetermined number of points can be added simply for accumulatedmaintenance points, or a number of points obtained by applying apredetermined percentage to all or part of the accumulated points can beadded.

[0034] Moreover, maker compensation points may be awarded for devicesthat have many breakdowns that are the responsibility of the maker.

[0035] It should be noted that the accumulated maintenance points andservice points for each device of each user also can be passed on to newdevices, for example when a user replaces a device with a new model.When a new device is purchased, it is also possible to discount fromthat price a sum in correspondence with the cumulated maintenance pointsor service points, or to apply a percentage discount on the listed pricein accordance with the cumulated points.

[0036] As described above, with this maintenance cost management system,the user of each device accumulates maintenance points in the maker'sserver by accumulating comparatively small sums, for example each month.Moreover, maintenance costs can be settled between the user and themaker by subtracting points from these maintenance points in accordancewith the maintenance costs when maintenance has been received. In thisway, the user does not have a sense of burden for paying maintenancecosts, and the maker is able to collect maintenance costs reliably.

[0037] Furthermore, by establishing service points in accordance withsuch items as the volume of consumables consumed, and adding theseservice points to the maintenance points, and by offering discounts andthe like in accordance with the service points, it is possible toimprove the usage frequency for that maker's devices, and an incentivecan be given to continue to use the maker's devices.

[0038] It should be noted that this embodiment does not limit thepresent invention, and that various modifications can be made within thescope of the invention. For example, an arrangement in which theaccumulation is carried out via a finance company is shown in FIG. 1,but it does not necessarily have to be carried out via such a company.

[0039] Furthermore, in the present embodiment, an example is shown inwhich a maker himself performs maintenance and collects payment forthis, but it is also possible that maintenance is performed and paymentcollected by a reseller that stocks and sells the devices of the devicemaker, or by a business contracted by the device maker or the like.

Industrial Applicability

[0040] As explained above, the present invention can provide amaintenance cost management system that makes it possible to reduce auser's sense of burden for paying maintenance costs.

1. A maintenance cost management device provided with a point storageportion that stores a user's maintenance points for a devise thatreceives maintenance; wherein an accumulative fee paid regularly by thedevice user is converted to points, and added to the device user'smaintenance points stored in the point storage portion; and wherein,after maintenance has been performed, a maintenance cost is settled bysubtracting a number of points corresponding to the maintenance costfrom the maintenance points in the point storage portion.
 2. Themaintenance cost management device according to claim 1, wherein thepoint storage portion is provided, for each device of each device user,with an area that stores the maintenance points.
 3. The maintenance costmanagement device according to claim 1, wherein the point storageportion is further provided with a service point storage area thatstores service points given in accordance to acts on the device userside; and the maintenance cost is settled taking into account theservice points.
 4. The maintenance cost management device according toclaim 3, wherein the service points are added to the maintenance points.5. The maintenance cost management device according to claim 3, whereinthe points subtracted from the maintenance points are calculated bydiscounting for a percentage corresponding to the service points.
 6. Themaintenance cost management device according to claim 3, wherein anoperation record of the device user's device is received from thatdevice via a communications network, and points calculated on the basisof the received operation record are added to the device user's servicepoints stored in the point storage portion.
 7. The maintenance costmanagement device according to claim 6, wherein the operation recordincludes data related to that device's consumption volume ofconsumables.
 8. A user device that is connected via a communicationsnetwork to the maintenance cost management device according to claim 6comprising: an operation record storage portion that stores an operationrecord; and a transmission portion that sends the operation record tothe maintenance cost management device via the communications network.9. The user device according to claim 8, wherein the operation recordincludes data related to the device's consumption volume of consumables.10. A computer-readable program storage medium on which a program isstored that executes processes of: converting an accumulative fee paidregularly by a device user into points; adding the points to the deviceuser's maintenance points in a point storage portion storing the deviceuser's maintenance points; and settling a maintenance cost aftermaintenance has been performed by subtracting points from themaintenance points in the point storage portion in accordance with themaintenance cost.